Multiple glazing unit



Feb. 26, 1952 H. W. PETSCH MULTIPLE GLAZING UNIT Filed March 26, 1949 m Q10; and

@QAL- f P e Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .MULTIPLE GLAZ'I'NG UNIT Harold w. Petsch, Dubuqua'Iowa Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83.576 2 Claims. (o1. 565) This invention relates to multiple glazed .construction in general and to double glazed sash and window construction in particular. Its purpose is to insulate against heat transfer through glass surfaces.

The object is to space glass panes in a. flexible manner which will seal dry air between the panes and yet allow the panes of glass to move apart from each other or toward each other so that there will never be a pressure difference between the enclosed space and the outside atmosphere.

Heat loss through windows on buildings has always been a serious problem. Insulation is necessarily restricted to obtaining a dead air space between sheets of glass because visibility through a window must not be obscured. The most satisfactory Way to obtain this air space is to glaze a window with multiple panes of glass set in the same sash or frame. Previous methods used have presented problems of construction and expense which have prevented their common use in residential and commercial building application. 1

To effectively multiple glaze a window, two or more panes of glass must'be mounted in parallel planes in a sash or frame so that moisture and foreign matter are excluded from the space between the panes. If moisture is present in the enclosed space it will fog the adjacent glass surface and impair visibility. In extremely cold weather it will adhere to the glass surfaces as frost and also impair visibility. If foreign matter enters the enclosed space it will make the adjacent glass surfaces dirty and will again impair visibility as well as appear unsightly.

All methods of multiple glazed construction until this present invention have been to seal sheets of glass in a fixed position at a fixed distance from each other, with a rigid or semi-rigid seal. The sheets of glass held tightly in place exclude dirt and moisture from the interior space but must combat other problems generally as follows:

A tightly sealed space will breathe. That is, as the temperature rises the enclosed air will tend to expand and if not allowed to do so, will build up pressure which exerts itself against the surrounding walls. As the temperature falls the pressure will fall and below a certain point will create a partial vacuum which will in turn exert itself against the surrounding walls. When a partial vacuum exists there is danger of diifusion of moisture vapor through the seal into the enclosed space. Effective construction to combat these conditions must necessarily be heavy enough to withstand the strain placed upon it. As all previous methods of multiple glazing fall in this category they are heavy in Weight and expensive in cost.

My invention is entirely different in that it allows the panes of glass to move apart from each other or toward each other. In this way atmospheric pressure is maintained at all times within the enclosed space. In my inventionthere is no resistance to atmospheric pressure exerted upon the glass or the seal, at any time. By eliminating the internal pressure the present invention accomplishes ease and versatility of application of multiple glazing hitherto unknown and brings multiple glazing outof the expensive construction field for the first time. Proper application of this invention should place the advantages of multiple and double glazed con.- struction at a financial level where any home buildercan afford it.

Some advantages claimed for this invention over existing types of double glazed construction are:

1. Construction ,of a ,unit'to be placed in any suitable sash or frame. v

2 Simplicity of construction because fewer parts are needed.

3. Inexpensive construction because common materials can be used.

4. Usability of any thickness and kind of glass including single strength.

5. Glass may be spaced apart at any desired distance to attain the most efiicient insulating distance for a particular installation.

6. Ease of sealing because seal is not subjected to pressure differences.

7. Construction minimizes vibration and rattle.

8. Greater resistance to shocks or impacts.

without breaking.

9. Allowable use of thinner glass makes possible more space for air between panes than in any similar installation.

10. Elimination of seepage through seal.

11. Reduction of glass breakage during manufacture because glass is not under stress.

12. Use of vents through seal is unnecessary.

Other advantages may appear from the study of the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section cut through th periphery of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the movement 3 of the parts of the invention under temperature and atmospheric pressure changes.

In the drawings, a unit, 1, consists of two or more panes 2 of glass set into a seal 3 made of rubber or some other flexible material which extends continuously around the periphery of the unit. The seal 3 is in one piece and consists of a flat base 4 from which rises at either side a leg 5 which will bend to the outside or inside as required. The panes 2 of glass are cemented in grooves 6 formed to accommodate them in the legs 5. The distance d between the panes of glass is variable and may change as much as one-third of its neutral value under varying weather conditions of temperature and atmospheric pressure. Due to the ability of the distance d to change, the pressure P in the enclosed space will, under all climatic conditions, remain constant at that of the outside atmosphere.

In the diagram, Figure 3, the line A-A shows where the edges of the panes of glass meet the rubber legs. As the temperature tin the enclosed space rises, the distance (i will increase due to the tendency of the pressure P in the enclosed space to increase. The panes 2 of glass will move apart toward position X and the rubber legs 5 will bend outward as shown, to accommodate the glass movement. This movement will enlarge the enclosed volume V and allow the pressure P to remain at atmosphere. Likewise lowering of the temperature t will decrease the distance cl due to the tendency of the pressure P to decrease. The panes 2 of glass will then move toward each other as indicated by the position Y and the rubber legs 5 will bend inward. This movement will decrease the enclosed volume V and allowthe pressure P to remain at atmosphere.

While I have here described one form of this invention it must be understood that modifications may be made without departing'from the scope of the original idea. For instance, some flexible medium other than rubber may be used or some change in the shape of the seal may be made, or perhaps some metal may be imbedded in the legs to stiffen them. Also the invention may be applied to any form of construction where multiple glazing is desirable.

What I claim is:

1. A glasing unit comprising two laterally spaced sheets of glass, a frame enclosing the edges of said sheets around the entire periphery thereof and composed of resiliently yieldable material, said frame being of Ushaped crosssection having a squared closed end and laterally spaced legs projecting therefrom in the planes of the sheets and abutting at their ends against the peripheral edges of said sheet whereby to permit movement of the sheet edges toward and away from each other by bending of the legs and said closed end, and a pair of laterally spaced flanges integral with and projecting from the end of each of said legs' and tightly straddling the edge portion of one of said sheets to form a seal between the latter and one of said legs around the entire periphery of the sheet.

2. A glasing unit comprising two sheets of glass, a frame enclosing the edges of said sheets around the entire periphery thereof and composed of resiliently yieldable material, said frame being of U-shaped cross-section having a squared closed end and laterally spaced legs projecting therefrom in the planes of the sheets and abutting at their ends against the peripheral edges of said sheets whereby to permit movement of v the sheet edges toward and away from each other by bending of the legs and said closed end, flanges formed integral with the ends of said legs and lying against and overlapping side surfaces of said sheets, and means at the free ends of said legs engaging the other side surfaces of said sheets and holding the same in sealing engagement with said flanges.

H. W. PETSCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,982,351 Phillips Nov. 27, 1934 2,021,179 Fox Nov. 19, 1935 2,025,716 Black Dec. 31, 1935 2,122,453 Clause July 5, 1938 2,168,216 Kennedy et al Aug. 1, 1939 

